KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Activist Lawrence Jeyaraj was released today after being detained two days over his alleged Facebook insults against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Lawrence’s lawyer Eric Paulsen said police did not seek to extend the remand order for his client to assist in the investigations.
“Today he was released around noon on police bail,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
According to Paulsen, his client was arrested on Sunday at about 7pm at his home, before being detained overnight at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters here.
A magistrate yesterday granted a two-day remand order — which ended today — for the police probe on Lawrence under Section 504 of the Penal Code over the alleged Facebook posts.
Section 504 covers the offence of intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of public peace and is punishable with a maximum two-year jail term or a fine or both.
Paulsen said Lawrence was detained at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters since Sunday and throughout the two-day remand.
Paulsen confirmed that the police has yet to return the handphone which they had confiscated from his client.
He also said the police had disclosed that the investigation on Lawrence is also being carried out under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.
Those convicted under Section 233 are liable to a maximum RM50,000 fine or a maximum one-year jail term or both.
The investigation on Lawrence was in relation to two September 2 Facebook posts where he was alleged to have insulted the prime minister.
